Ryan Johnson-Hunt's Blog (30)

Simply create a blog post and upload the photo along with a short blurb about where, how, and why you made the campfire. Be sure to add a "fire" tag to the post (comment below with any questions on how to do…

The author of "The 10 Bushcraft Books", Richard Graves, is a member of the Irish literary family of that name. He is also the author of "Creating Customers" and "More About Creating Customers", two authoritative works on marketing.…

One of the many blogs I subscribe to and read on a regular basis is The Art of Manliness. Its chock full of thoughts and ideas aiming to "revive the lost art of manliness" with everything from skills our grandads would have considered essential (how to shave with a cut-throat razor) to inspirations on what it means to…

This topic is borderline bushcraft, probably more in the environmentalist/far left domain of "urban foraging". I just think its a great concept and if nothing else a remarkable feat of collaboration. (Thanks to Nadia for telling me about it)

Recently found some great resources on selecting an axe from jackmtn.com

"An axe with a longer handle is safer than one with a shorter handle. The longer handle allows the user to position himself further from the impact point. The further this distance is, the greater the safety buffer. There’s much…

Last weekend I put to the test a product which I have heard about on overseas websites and recently found out have one lone NZ supplier. Mainstay rations are designed to a pretty much indestructible food that you can store for an emergency or take with you in the outdoors.

Now I have tried some of these "emergency" foods before and to be honest it was like gnawing on cardboard. But hey they were for emergencies, desperate times call for desperate measures right? In that kind of… Continue

The upcoming Waikato outing on the 4-5th Sept recently featured in the Waikato Times! Not sure that I am 100% on the title but hopefully it will generate interest in the event and the network in general.

The very first edition of BushcraftUSA Magazine is hot off the press! I have been given permission by the founders of BushcraftUSA to distribute the Magazine to our members. This is very generous of them and we are very grateful. In return they ask that it is kept in its original form, and that the source should be acknowledged.

I am sure that you will enjoy it, and look forward to the next edition. Please let them know if you have… Continue

A series of 16 tutorials on flintknapping by John Olsen.Bio: Through scratching and grinding rocks, John
Olsen has made many authentic replica artifacts. He majored in ceramics in college and began making primitive items with native clays.Filmmaker: Mike Phillips…

I found a cool feature of Google Maps that I have put to good use for our Auckland Group. You can create map that is unlisted (hidden to the public unless you have the URL address) that members can add to with the spots they have visited. Use this link to… Continue

Lewis and Matt are two lads from Wanganui who have made their own website www.lewismatttramping.com all about their tramping and bushcraft exploits which heaps of good info and videos. They have also just joined our network so you can check out their profile.

Its great to see young kiwis getting stuck into the outdoors, and its pretty clear by… Continue

Survival is not dying. Wilderness survival is not dying in the wilderness. The simple fact that one is in the bush does not mean that rationally solving the problems associated with survival must now entail enormous, overpriced knives, combat-style clothing, and a mindset derived from exposure to countless Hollywood-style…

Just returned from a great day in my favourite local pine forest. Heres a google map if you are interested in visiting it yourself. The forecast was for showers in the afternoon so I set out early. I love this forest as there is room to walk around and explore (unlike most native forests) and…Continue

I finally splashed out and bought a swanndri off trademe that actually fits me (the ones I have are a little tight) and is a plain dark green. It will arrive in a few days, looking forward to trying it out.

In the meantime I am trying to research way to reproof them. Straight from the shop they are great at shedding water, the effect seems to wear off over a few years. The…Continue

Recently I stumbled across this little gem, which is a great resource for NZ bushcraft. A section of thewebsiteEske-Style (yes that's its name) is entirely devoted to traditional plant use by Maori. Just like anything, it may not be wise to base everything on one source so make sure to research from multiple reputable sources,…Continue